Today the CDC released the latest statistics on autism prevalence in our country.
1 in 68. ONE out of every SIXTY EIGHT children in this country has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This is a 30% increase over the previous statistic of 1 in 88. Oh, you remember 1 in 88...you know, the report from TWO YEARS AGO. Yup, you read that right - 30% increase in just two years. 1 in 88 is just SO yesterday!
Here's something you may not be aware of - this study is done every two years on a sampling of children that are eight years old. Though it is currently the year 2014, this is the 2010 statistic (four years to tally the numbers I guess?) This means that the 1 in 68 statistic applies to children that were born in the year 2002. Twelve years ago. My son, and all of my other autism mama friends' kids were not even born yet. Gee, I wonder what the number will be for Luke's year? At this rate, it will be 1 out of 2 for the year my daughter was born! I'm not really joking.
New Jersey is one of the 11 states used in the national analysis. Ready for this one?
1 in 45 children in New Jersey has an ASD. 1 in 21 boys.
ONE OUT OF EVERY TWENTY ONE BOYS BORN IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY IN THE YEAR 2002 IS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM.
Yes, I am aware that caps signify yelling. I AM YELLING PEOPLE.
For those of you that are not grasping the reality of these numbers (or if you just suck at math), let me throw a little comparison out there for you...there are more children with an ASD than are affected by diabetes, AIDS, cancer, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy or Down syndrome – combined.
COMBINED. As in, all of them together. The fact that each of these INDIVIDUALLY receives more government funding than autism does is a topic for another (angrier, sarcasmier) blog post. But here's a little visual on that interesting situation from a few years ago taken from our good friends over at TACA (Talk About Curing Autism)...
And yet, the CDC continues to downplay the statistics. They refuse to label this as an EPIDEMIC, or give it the national attention it deserves as a PRIORITY to be investigated and FIXED. Did you know that they gave trampoline injuries a status of "epidemic" based on 1,200 children getting hurt in 1996? Hmmmm...now let's think about that. Who suffers when a child is hurt on a trampoline? No, BESIDES the child silly! They don't give a rat's ass about Timmy's busted arm! But you know who DOES pay? Literally? Home insurance companies. What? You didn't know that? Oh yes, home insurance companies can deny you coverage if you have a trampoline in your backyard. I am going to venture a guess that the "epidemic" label helped the insurance companies push that sucker right on through.
You know who else can't be sued? Vaccine manufacturers. What do I mean? Well, it's really quite simple. In 1986, the Vaccine Protection Act was passed - hey, that sounds like it would be protecting us from vaccines? What's wrong with that? Jump back sister...the only thing this act is protecting is the MANUFACTURERS of the vaccines. As of 1986, these "big pharma" hotshots could make anything to be jammed into our kids, and were given indemnification from legal action in any case of a negative reaction, whether it was a rash or death. And then THIS happened...
Insurance companies...Big Pharma...wait a minute...this sounds like it has something to do with MONEY? Nah, that CAN'T be true!
My son was diagnosed in the year 2007. In one of the more twisted ironies of my life, that anniversary falls right around the same time as WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY! (I could not possibly be more aware...trust me). In the past seven years, I have heard TONS about what does NOT cause autism. It's NOT the vaccines, it's NOT the environment, it's NOT medications, it's NOT the air in New Jersey (1 in 21 = 3 times the national average...hmmmmm), it's NOT GMOs or PRESERVATIVES in our food...
Can we please STOP talking about what is NOT causing it - and START figuring out what IS causing it?
Check the air, check the food, check the cleaning products, check the water, check the medicines, and YES - CHECK THE VACCINES - check them all - completely and thoroughly and figure out what the hell is going on before we lose another generation of children. Enough is enough.
I want to finish this post by saying something that I don't normally say. I don't feel the need to scare people - I have always gone by the assumption that parenting is an individual and personal journey for everyone, and unless someone ASKS me for an opinion on this stuff, I keep the gloom and doom to myself. Well, I have changed my mind. I am publicly stating that ALL NEW PARENTS or PARENTS-TO-BE need to be aware that this is happening. It is scary. But it is on you to be aware, to do the research, to trust doctors, but to QUESTION them when your gut is telling you to. To read food labels. To limit your child's intake of acetaminophen, antibiotics or other medications when they are not truly necessary. Take whatever precautions you can in your home to create a "clean" environment...because they DO NOT KNOW WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. It could be all of that, it could be none of that, it could be a bizarre combination of several of these things...BUT WE DON'T KNOW.
This is not just a problem for families touched by autism. This is everyone's problem. Those that know my son may think that they are off the hook (dodged a bullet so-to-speak?) as he is the ONE in 68 in your world...but every two years that number is going up...and even if your kids are spared...do something about this today that may help other peoples' children...or your future grandchildren...go back to the top and read those stats again...what do you think they will be when your kids are having their own children?
Please get angry. And then go to this website and share that anger:
Click here to contact our elected officials
For two years our autism community has used the mantra "1 in 88 can't wait..."
Well, now it's 1 in 68...and they are still waiting.
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